Young God [GirlxGirl]

1. When The Fog Hits

So bold and fearless in the risks we take // Laugh in the face of gravity as it's laws we'd break // On trampolines so high, we reach for the sky, but I // Do not look up anymore and I don't know why // Slowtown, Twenty One Pilots

It was night time on Athena, a distant planet sharing many similarities and holding countless differences to our own, and three pale moons peered down on the Kingdom of Light through a restless and murky tide in the sky. The kingdom itself, a vast metropolis of glass, gold, and crystal, surrounded a towering citadel which appeared to be made purely of light - a soft white light which shimmered subtly under the gaze of a thousand stars and galaxies. Not far from this empire, a purple fog silently crept along the blacksand desert, also known by the inhabitants of the Kingdom of Light as the badlands. The fog moved slowly towards the city, minutes away from closing in.

It is this fog that kept the residents of the kingdom off the streets that night, locked safely away in their homes with their doors and windows sealed shut. The streets were deserted, and there was barely a sound that could be heard throughout the realm. Except, maybe, for the quiet chatter taking place right at the foot of the only gate within the colossal, white-stone wall that protected the kingdom from almost every form of danger. Almost.

If you were brave enough to venture beyond the safety of your home to locate the source of the chatter, you would find yourself looking at a small group of three, each of them spying through the impenetrable bars of the gate and out at the impending fog.

"Sure you don't want to back out, Ash? It isn't too late." Teased one of the three, a tall boy with dark skin and cropped hair. He was clad in all white, with a black opal gem inset into the gold band around his right wrist, a sure sign of his wealth.

"Why, are you having second thoughts Leo? Don't worry, I'll understand if you're scared. I mean, I am the undefeated champion, after all." Came the arrogant reply of the second girl - Ash - who had an undeniable streak of mischief in her gleaming sapphire eyes. That same mischief was also visible in her cocky, one-sided grin, and in the way she coolly ran a hand through her short black hair. In contrast to Leo's all white clothing, Ash wore plain black attire, her sleeveless shirt failing to conceal the colourful ink running up and down her arms. To the less educated, this girl would likely appear to be little more than a common kingdom dweller. How wrong they would be.

Before Leo had time to muster up a response, the third person spoke, a girl with hair as white as her skin and eyes greener than life. She liked to go by Lexi. "The fog's almost here. Do the two of you know what you're doing?"

Leo nodded. "Running for our lives, basically." The tone of his voice suggested that this was a thing which he was not as bothered by as perhaps he should have been. Although Ash, who had known Leo for decades, picked up on the hint of anxiousness in his voice. However, she decided not to comment. She would embarrass him enough when she won.

"The first of you to make it to the bottomless lake wins. And remember, there are only two rules. First, no space hopping. I'll know if you do. And second," Lexi paused for dramatic effect. "Try not to die." With one last glance through the bars in the gates, she turned back to her friends. "Good luck. I'll see you on the other side." With that said, she clicked her fingers and vanished from sight, leaving Ash and Leo to take their places on the makeshift starting line, which had been etched into the ground prior to the race. Then, just as the fog reached the wall, the two competitors nodded their heads at one another - a silent form of friendly encouragement.

As soon as the first wisp of deep purple fog surpassed the gate, Ash and Leo were off, racing at inhuman speed through the complicated maze of streets, alleys and tunnels. It wasn't long before they were separated, each opting for a different route to the lake, as it had not yet been concluded which was the fastest. Even Ash, who had taken home the prize more often than anybody else, had not yet mapped every individual route through the city. The place was a labyrinth, it would take years.